FORT WAYNE, Ind.—Organizers are more than half-way to their goal of getting 1,000 volunteers to take part in the Second Annual BIG Event at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), Saturday, March 23.

Right now, more than 700 IPFW students, staff, faculty, administrators, and alumni are registered to volunteer at the BIG Event, which is billed as one BIG day of service to say thank you from IPFW to the community. So far, 40 not-for-profit agencies are on board to have teams of volunteers help them out from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. IPFW chancellor Vicky Carwein is joining the volunteer force and will split her time between two agencies: the Dare to Dream Youth Ranch and the Fort Wayne Sexual Assault Treatment Center.

Krissy Creager, director of student life and coordinator of the BIG Event, says participating agencies are looking for help in all manner of tasks, from “painting, landscaping, minor repairs, office work such as stuffing envelopes for mailings, filing, cleaning, working with animals; there’s something for everyone!” Creager added that volunteers can register by themselves or get friends or coworkers together and register as a group.

Volunteers and agencies that are interested in taking part in the BIG Event can register online at the event website; agencies can register through Wednesday, March 13, and volunteers through Wednesday, March 20; however, walk-in volunteers will be allowed on the day of the event. Volunteers will meet at Walb Student Union in the International Ballroom at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, March 23, where they will select their assignments and be transported to and from their job sites. A victory party will take place in the International Ballroom when the teams return from their job sites.